There is a great need for simple means for self-medication involving the inhalation of active substances, either for the effective treatment of an inflamed respiratory tract or for the alleviation of the discomforts of asthma. In addition, aromatic therapy treatment for stress, sleeping disorders, etc. is becoming more and more important.
The dispensers of active substances of the aforementioned type have not been successful in the marketplace up to this time, even though generations of various designs have become known. The reasons for their failures vary widely. Their spatial forms are sufficiently large and therefore make proportionally large demands during their production, which is reflected in a prohibitively high price.
As to positioning, two variations are commonly used: in the first variation, the dispenser is placed under the nose and fastened by means of a band around the head, while in the second variation, the dispenser is inserted, at least partially, into the nostrils and is kept there in a self-clipping manner. Accordingly, other aesthetic requirements are not met due to the large tri-dimensional spatial form and fastening band, or else physiological conditions such as irritating contact with the mucous membrane of the nose, difficulty of breathing, hindrance in case of head cold are encountered. In addition, the storage of the active substance in the dispensers is poor. When the dispenser is filled by the manufacturer with an active substance, an individual gas-tight package prevents any evaporation during transport and storage. The intensity of evaporation cannot be dosed, even though not every user desires equally strong application of the active substance. On the other hand, a dispenser which the user activates by dripping the substance, is not practical. In particular, it can hardly be expected that children, sick and old people can perform such a manipulation. In addition, if the outside of the dispenser is wetted during such an operation, unpleasant skin irritations will result.